THE BABBLERS. 15 



They vary a good deal in size, but there is somethin^i 

 about their general style which marks them off at once 

 when seen in life, though, as skins in a museum collection, 

 they are not so easy to separate. They have very short 

 rounded wings, and rather long tails as a rule ; their 

 plumage is lax and liufty, not close and sleek, and their 

 legs and feet are strong, not to say coarse. Their bills 

 are moderate in size ; not actually slender, but not thick 

 like a Crow's. The Peko or Chinese Mocking-bird on 

 Plate III (Fig. 3) will give a good general idea of them, 

 and few are larger than this. 



They usually go about in parties, and have a weak 

 flight, never going far at a time, and often whining and 

 skimming alternately, like Partridges. They feed mostly 

 on insects, and take hold of their food hi one foot, if they 

 wish to break it up. On trees or on the ground they are 

 very active, moving about by long hops, for very few of 

 them run. Males and females are alike in colour, and 

 the young resemble them. They are very affectionate 

 and constantly caress each other with their bills. 



The Sat-bhai [Crateropus canorus), is the most familiar 

 of the larger Babblers, the native name, which of course 

 means seven brothers, having been practically accepted 

 as English. I have not thought it necessary to figure 

 this common bird ; everyone must have noticed it, with its 

 pale-drab, dust-coloured plumage, cunning-looking white 

 eyes, and sickly- white legs and bill. It is found all over 

 India in the plains and low down in the hills, and comes 

 freely into gardens, making its presence known obtrusively 

 by a squeaky babbling varied ])y hysterical outbursts. 



